Run, Lift & Live

04/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who has registered for my book launch event at Connecticut's Old State House occurring tomorrow night @ 6pm! I have something very special planned! If you haven't yet, register at https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-narrative-of-primus-book-launch-event-tickets-267589

I can't wait to see you all!!! 😊❤️

Join us on Wednesday 4/29 at Connecticut's Old State House for the book launch of genealogist and historian John Mills from 6:00 to 7:30 pm.

His debut work, "The Narrative of Primus: A Lineage Woven into America’s History" reconstructs the life of a ten-year-old boy taken from his mother's bedside in West Africa to his enslavement in colonial Connecticut.

Through meticulous genealogical research Mr. Mills uncovers the remarkable, nearly forgotten story of how Primus survived the Middle Passage, endured decades of enslavement, raised a family, and laid, a foundation that rippled across generations of descendants who, bravely fought in both the Revolutionary and Civil War.

This event will include a brief talk, a reading, and an opportunity to meet the author and purchase signed copies of the book. Admission is free. To RSVP, click here: https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-narrative-of-primus-book-launch-event-tickets-267589

03/07/2026

𝗔 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗼, I discovered that the grave of 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 existed in Brooklyn, NY and was damaged. Nancy was enslaved in Georgia, brought to Connecticut by the grandparents of 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘁. She won her freedom in court... a case that occurred in 1837 at Connecticut's Old State House.

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, I found Nancy Jackson's current day descendants and walked them through Bulloch mansion in Roswell, Georgia were her mother and three siblings remained enslaved.

𝗔 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼, the site coordinator at 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗵 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 reached out to me. They were planning a program about Nancy and her family. I was able to share my research to help with their program. They then asked me to be part of the program, but I was unable due to my schedule.

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, a Georgia man reached out to me. He said he went to the program at 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗵 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 in Roswell, Georgia. He was told about my work in researching Nancy and wanted to know more. So, I'm now compiling my research to share with the world.

I feel strongly that historians in Connecticut have 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 the Nancy Jackson story. They've essentially limited her to the 4 weeks of her court case, ignoring her parents, siblings, her love for them, and the other 93 years of her life. They've ignored her humanity, intent on praising Connecticut rather than truly honoring Nancy and her family, which includes her current-day descendants. I refuse to let that persist. I see this outreach as God telling me I'm changing that.

Still walking...

03/05/2026

Founded in 1791 the 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 is the oldest organization in America dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing materials for the study of American history. They hold millions of items. And now, they will also hold my book. They contacted me to let me know that they are ordering.

Just wow. I'm humbled. 🙏🏿

Pre-order at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJ2LP7TH

03/03/2026

For a guy that evangelizes for remembering the enslaved and having lots to say on the topic, it was hard creating a TV ad that is only 15 seconds. I tried my best to limit my words. 😊 PrimusBook.com

02/18/2026

Shout out to Connecticut Public. 🙏🏿 Pre-order at PrimusBook.com.

Black patriots in Connecticut fought for liberty while enslaved. A new book traces one family’s story and the Revolution’s deepest contradictions.

02/15/2026

Last week, 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, and the 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗴 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 in New York all informed me that they would be acquiring my book for their collections! Also, yesterday, the 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 said the same!

𝗣.𝗦. This morning, I received the Connecticut Explored newsletter and my book is mentioned! If you haven't yet, please consider pre-ordering my book on Amazon. It helps tremendously in my ranking, which also gets it into more Universities! You can pre-order at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJ2LP7TH/

Still walking...

02/13/2026

We find our ancestors; we clean and repair their headstones; we give their stories back to their current-day descendants; and we inject them into the communities where they lived, worked or died.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, aligning to the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, we're adding to our activism by contextualizing and publishing the stories of our ancestors, all from the perspective of a descendant.

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿... one in April and another in October. Pre-order the first on Amazon at https://PrimusBook.com

Still walking...

02/10/2026

Front page! Honoring the ancestors as a proud descendant of the enslaved... telling stories from the perspective of a descendant, without hesitation nor shame. I will never stop. 🙏🏿

02/09/2026

This is behind a paywall, so I can't access it, but if you are a school or teacher who has access to 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, let me know your thoughts!

Still walking...

John Mills is a genealogist who helps African American families learn about their ancestry.

02/01/2026

God is working! 😊🙏🏿 Pre-order at https://PrimusBook.com ❤️

01/31/2026

Looking forward to speaking at Silas Bronson Library in Waterbury! It's a free event! It occurs on February 11 at 6:30pm. Swing by!

On February 11, 2025 at 6:30pm, John Mills will be giving a lecture for the Silas Bronson Library in Waterbury, CT.